“I do hope that when we include more female storytellers, we will have more of the women that I recognize in my day-to-day life. Ones that are proactive, that have their own agencies. They just don’t react to the men around them. They have their own point-of-view.”
Purpose
There is a well-documented gender imbalance in the film and entertainment industry, negatively implicating not only the industries involved but also society as a whole. Fewer women employed as directors or writers directly correlate to more stereotypical portrayals of female characters, molding gender-biased representations and negatively affecting gender equality. At the same time, film is a powerful medium through which society can be introduced to new perspectives on subjects that are controversial, misunderstood or misrepresented.
The China Women’s Film Festival (CWFF) will thus use this medium to advocate for women’s rights and bring to light and address various themes relevant to women, repealing traditional views of women as housewives, caretakers and lovers and instead revealing the issues and ideas that are important to women today, such as gender equality, social and economic advancement and violence against women.
In sum, CWFF promotes public awareness, understanding and advancement of women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights by highlighting the discrimination faced by these communities around the world, invigorating the movement towards greater rights in China and abroad via the means of film and art.
Our Story
The China Women's Film Festival (CWFF) was established in 2013. It is a non-profit organization based in Beijing that uses art and film to spark discussion among the Chinese community about women's and LGBTQ+ rights. In addition to hosting film festivals, the CWFF curates art exhibitions and organizes cultural forums to provoke discussion about the importance of gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights in China. Through these events, the CWFF hopes to increase public awareness and visibility of female directors, women in art, and the multitude of challenges facing women around the world.
CWFF is supported by UN Women and its HeforShe campaign, which provides a platform for people of every gender identity and expression to come together and continue the fight for gender equality. CWFF’s sponsors include the Dutch Embassy, Norwegian Embassy, Delegation of the European Union to China and Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Its partners include the Chilean Embassy, Swiss Embassy, Rotaract Beijing, the venues mentioned above, among others.
Our Events
The China Women's Film Festival Beijing & Hong Kong
The China Women's Film Festival is the biggest event of each year. During the festival, films that highlight gender inequality and LGBT rights in China and around the world are screened in various cultural centers, Embassies, and event spaces around Beijing for 10 days.
If you are an interested in submitting a film to our festival, please contact us, or go to our FilmFreeway page.
EVAW Art projects
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, also known as EVAW day on November 25 was initiated by the United Nations in 1999 by resolution 54/134. On this day, the UN encourages governments, NGOs, and international organizations to organize events in order to bring public awareness to this issue. The UN hopes that people around the world will use EVAW day to contemplate the global nature of this phenomenon, the frequency of which is occurs, and the preventative measures that governments and individual communities should implement.
Now coming on three years, CWFF, partnered with UN Women, has organized an annual EVAW Art Exhibition as their contribution to raising public awareness about violence against women and girls. Artists from around the world submit their artwork that highlights the prevalence of domestic violence, and the perseverance necessary to combat it. Since 2018 we have started with our feminist comics projects, click the buttons below for more information!
Our Collaborations
1905 HUMAN RIGHTS SHORT FILM AWARDS
1905 Human Rights Film Festival is an annual film festival which takes place in Hong Kong and Taiwan. This festival screens narrative and documentary films in order to raise awareness of various social issues that are prevalent around the world. The 1905 HRFF works to encourage debate and discussion surrounding topics regarding human rights violations through film screenings and discussions with filmmakers and activists.
Asia-Pacific Human Rights Filmmakers Network
By founding the Asia-Pacific Human Rights Filmmakers Network (APHRFN) we wish to assist people working in the Asia-Pacific Human Rights (HR) film world and to promote international exchange between them. Moreover, we wish to help them to obtain more resources for their projects and to gain access to channels to release their movies on international platforms. Through the medium of film, Asian-Pacific HR issues will be seen by the whole world and the films will simultaneously serve as HR education and advocacy.
Chinese female young filmmakers network
Our organization would like to create a network for female film students in China in order to promote and encourage more women to participate in and enjoy the benefits of such a growing industry. In additions to the benefits gained by a strong network, they will be able to seek advice from established female filmmakers from around the world through the connections that our organization has made over six years of hosting a women’s film festival.